Adventures in Shadowland

The Photo Blog for Steve Leath Photography

It was the Spring of 1983. I was just weeks away from graduating college and my Dad had just retired from Public Service Indiana. We both were at significant crossroads in our lives. I was on the verge of leaving home for good and Dad was on the verge of being at home for good.

YES... a photogaphers delight. That is the definition of the Alburquerque Balloon Fiesta. Spectacular sights of hot air balloons navigating the southwest skies. Both at Dusk and Dawn, nonetheless. In between: chainsaw carving, car show,s and great live music.

But beyound that... the aroma of Pinon coffee, Roated Chilis, and Mexican food that has no competition. It is the "Land of Enchantment".

BUT Sometimes, a person can find themselves amoungst the Natiive American artistry, and the smell of Pinon and roated peppers, Yes, that can happen.

In the meantime, here are some favorite imgaes from a great adventure trip.

Glenn Frey passed away yesterday. It feels like the regularity with which people from my younger days are leaving this earth is accelerating. I suppose I am at that station in life. Of course I did not know Glenn Frey, but indirectly he was a steady companion to me during my high school and college years.

The music of my high school years was a discord of many styles, some leaving and some arriving. In the beginning, The Doors, Bread, Three Dog Night, Carole King,and James Taylor were constants on the radio. In the end, The Bee Gees were surrendering to Earth Wind, and Fire and Kool and the Gang. In the middle it was the original and classic sounds of Elton John, Aerosmith, and the Doobie Brothers. It was Led Zeppelin with Stairway to Heaven. It was Kiss with rock and Roll All Night. It was Boston with More Than a Feeling. It was Lynyrd Skynyrd with Free Bird. AND it was

July 4th, 2015 could be considered pretty close to perfection as Independence Day standards govern: azure skies; white popcorn shaped clouds; red, white, and blue block parties complete with char-gilled food and cold drinks. And on this 4th of July, The Rolling Stones.

I liked the Rolling Stones from early on. I suppose "early" is a relative to my personal perspective since I was 2 years old when the Stones formed. I was never a rabid "mega-fan", despite the fact that they were chronically producing favorite songs across the first three decades of my life. Maybe they were just too

The film maker Ridley Scott once posed the question: "How can you look at the galaxy and not feel insignificant”? On the night of May 27th, 2014 in the heart Grand Teton National Park, I came to understand Ridley's inquiry very clearly. In this case, the word "clearly" had two meanings for me. First, I came to clearly appreciate the perspective from which Ridley's question was born from. Second, was the visual clarity of the scene that played before my eyes on that memorable night: The Milky Way galaxy and what appeared to be all of its 400 billion stars that make their home in our small galactic neighborhood of the universe.

The disappointing reality is that living in the Midwest significantly hinders opportunities to see the Milky Way galaxy because of the light pollution and the humidity. Occasionally on clear, cold winter nights when the moon is not present in the night sky, it is possible to get a glimpse of the galaxy. On such nights, I occasionally get up at 2 or 3 am